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Vanilla adds a touch of floral sweetness to this homemade vanilla lemonade. It’s ideal for any hot summer afternoon.

My kids, like most, are completely obsessed with lemonade. Every time we go to the grocery store and pass by a display of lemonade powder they try to get me to buy it, but instead we turn back toward the whole lemons.

glasses of lemonade with paper straws and a citrus reamer beside

I think a lot of us grew up drinking powdered lemonade, but it really is worth it to grab a bowl of lemons and make your own.

I’ve been making this lemonade since 2010 after a friend made it at a food blogger potluck. I love how the vanilla adds just a touch of caramelly, floral flavor, turning the lemonade from a sweet, puckery drink to something that feels luxurious to drink.

It’s still a cinch to make, though, which helps a lot on hot, sweaty summer days.

overhead of lemonade in glasses

How many lemons do I need for lemonade?

The amount of lemons you’ll need to make lemonade depends on the size of your lemons, how juicy they are, and your method for juicing.

I don’t have an electric juicer, so I like to use a citrus reamer for juicing. This easy handheld tool is the best I’ve found for getting as much juice out as possible, because you can move it into the crevices and it works for any size of citrus.


You can also use a lemon squeezer, but you’ll be a bit limited in what size lemon will fit inside. 

The more efficient the juicing tool, the more juice you’ll get out. However, some lemons are just less juicy than others. Plan for using 8 lemons, though I’ve used as few as 5. 

You can also use bottled juice in a pinch.

glasses of lemonade on blue surface

How to make vanilla simple syrup

Lemonade has the best flavor when you use a simple syrup instead of dissolving the sugar directly in the cold lemon juice and water.

To make the syrup, combine 1 ½ cups water with 1 ½ cups granulated sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the vanilla bean either at the beginning or after the sugar has dissolved, then cover and remove from heat.

Let the syrup rest and cool before using. As it sits, the vanilla bean will infuse into the syrup. The longer you leave the vanilla bean, the more pronounced the flavor will be.

You can either discard the vanilla bean before mixing the syrup into the lemonade, or you can add the whole thing. It just depends on how much flavor you want!

The simple syrup can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use. I like to double the batch to keep some on hand for making cocktails or adding to iced coffee.

glass of lemonade with paper straw in sunlight

This is my perfect lemonade — the stuff they sell in restaurants is usually too tart for me. Feel free to adjust the sugar levels to your liking, however.

Serve up this lemonade at your next cookout alongside my cucumber tomato salad with pesto!

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below!
It means so much when you enjoy my recipes, so let me know how it goes and leave a comment if you have any questions.

glasses of lemonade with paper straws and a citrus reamer beside

Vanilla Lemonade

This homemade lemonade features vanilla for a subtle flavor.
Author : Megan Myers
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Recipe Review
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 132 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, split
  • 5-8 lemons, yielding 1 cup juice
  • Cold water to fill 2-quart pitcher

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, bring water, sugar, and vanilla bean just to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Press vanilla bean in order to let caviar escape. Cover, remove from heat, and let cool.
  • Juice lemons, and pour into 2-quart pitcher. Add sugar mixture (including vanilla bean), then fill pitcher with cold water and stir to mix. Chill until ready to serve.
  • If your lemonade tastes slightly bitter, add a tiny pinch of salt to bring out the other flavors.

Notes

  • You can substitute 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla bean powder for the whole bean.
  • Makes 2 quarts

Nutrition

Calories: 132 kcalCarbohydrates: 35 gProtein: 1 gFat: 0.3 gSaturated Fat: 0.02 gSodium: 3 mgPotassium: 75 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 31 gIron: 0.3 mg

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.

Tried this recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below!

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About Megan

I learned how to cook by exploring seasonal ingredients, and you can too! Meal time shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and with fresh ingredients and easy methods, I’m here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen. Read more…

5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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9 Comments

  1. Sounds amazing! I made a marmalade a couple of months ago with Meyer lemons and vanilla beans… it’s definitely an amazing combination.
    (PS – thanks for the eBay tip! I buy my vanilla at Costco, but it’s still pretty expensive by comparison to the deal you got.)

  2. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the ebay mention!!

    I’ve been hunting for vanilla beans everywhere lately and just couldn’t stomach the prices being asked! $12.49 for a _single_ bean pod? Are they crazy? Especially since I want to use one to flavor my hair rinse; I just couldn’t pay that much the way things are right now. Ebay, via You, to the rescue! You made my day. 🙂

    And I can’t wait to try that lemonade, too! Yum.

  3. Though this sounds divine, i’m afraid it isnt that unique…. my carribean mother has been making this for DECADES along with several carribean restaurants that sell freshly squuezed lemon/lime juices.. only difference is that instead of using vanilla beans, we simply add a touch of PURE vanilla extract..funny how i never thought of it as “vanilla lemonade”. lol. it was always just my mother’s special touch 🙂

    1. @djreamer
      I definitely didn’t think this was unique (aside from “unique” being an absolute modifier) as I stated that I re-created it from a time I had it elsewhere! It’s still rather uncommon in the U.S. however, considering many people get their “lemonade” from a powdered mix. Thanks for your comment!

  4. How long would this stay in the fridge without starting to taste funky? I’d like to make it ahead of time for a party.